


The Art Of Scraping By (What's Left Of Us)

by artttho



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Slow Burn, classic 'stranded' situation, im chopping up canon into little bits and sprinkling them over my fanon ramen like a garnish, im not sure where im going with this but its gonna be multichapter, their shuttlecraft malfunctioned!! sucks for them, writing androids are hard when you know nothing about androids, writing star trek fiction is hard when you know nothing about star trek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24409177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artttho/pseuds/artttho
Summary: When an unknown space anomaly rubberbands Geordi and Data's shuttlecraft towards an unknown planet and crash, they have to figure out how to survive on broken bones and malfunctioning parts. Can they figure out how to get home without breaking the prime directive, or have they doomed themselves to an alien world with only each other to trust?
Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge
Comments: 36
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! thanks for clicking!! this is my first star trek fic, so there's definitely gonna be some discrepancies with canon and lore... but!! that's okay, i don't think this is gonna be a very canon central fic (and im kinda making it up as i go lmao). 
> 
> this is gonna be multichaptered!! i don't know if im going to have a schedule or if im gonna update when i update, but hopefully after the next chapter ill have it figured out!!

The shuttle wasn’t supposed to crash. Well, no shuttlecraft is _supposed_ to crash. But this one was specifically designed _not_ to crash, a special new somewhat-still-in-the-prototype-phase shuttlecraft that would be able to stay afloat in space, or autopilot into a safe glide if a crash landing is needed. They were assured, many times, that the shuttle would be safe, that there’s fail-safe measures if something does go wrong. The engineers that designed it were so confident, Geordi couldn’t see a single way it could break.

So when he and Data started plummeting towards the planet’s surface at a dangerously fast angle, he had to step outside of himself to keep him from damning those same engineers he was praising not two hours before.

* * *

* * *

It was a pretty simple mission: find out why there was a blip in space. (Data wouldn’t call it a blip, but Geordi liked to keep things layman.) He and Data were supposed to take the shuttle out to the left of the Enterprise, a good five minutes between here and the blip. There was to be no contact, and they were warned from getting too close. _It could be dangerous_ , Picard had said. _We have no idea what it is_. 

It didn’t take long before they reached the coordinates, although their sensors indicated nothing.

“That’s odd,” Geordi murmured. “It should’ve shown up by now.”

“It is a foreign, unknown, alien object. Sensors might not be able to pick it up.” Data glanced towards Geordi, his hands splayed out on his console.

“I don’t know, Data… this isn’t uncharted space, and we’re even a day away from the next Starfleet Base. Something just… doesn’t feel right,” Geordi finished. He couldn’t explain it, it just felt… odd. 

“As I do not possess the ‘gut feeling’ humans have, I am not sure where you are coming from.”

“That’s alright, Data. Neither am I.” Shaking his head, Geordi focused on the space outside the shuttlecraft. He scanned the area, changing the filters on his VISOR for different readings. Still nothing. “Weird…” He tapped his combadge. “La Forge to Enterprise.”

“Go ahead,” came the captain’s voice.

“Well, sir… there doesn’t seem to be anything here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our sensors aren’t showing anything, and neither is my VISOR. It’s like it disappeared in the five minutes it took to get here.”

“That doesn’t make sense, Lieutenant. Our scanners report-”

A loud bang echoed off the side of the shuttlecraft, and the ricochet pushed Geordi into his consol. Before he had a chance to react, though, he had this strange vertigo sensation. His vision swam and he almost toppled out of his chair and, looking over, noticed Data looking the same way he was. _Odd,_ he thought. _Didn’t know Data could get vertigo_.

As soon as it started, it stopped. Geordi had to take a moment to close his eyes before he could assess anything. When he opened them, he noticed half the shuttle’s lights were off. Glancing around, he found most of the shuttle looked shut down completely. 

“Data what…?”

“I am unsure.” Data shook his head. He also seemed to be a little out of it, and Geordi noticed he was holding onto his chair harder than necessary. “It seems our engines are offline.” He began checking the other systems. “Life support is running functionally. Sensors are down to twenty kilometers in diameter. Impulse power not responding.” He looked over at Geordi, his brows drawn down and frowning. “We seem to be fifteen lightyears away from the Enterprise as well.” 

“What?” Geordi sat there, confused. “That’s not-how did-where-?” Data just kept shaking his head.

“I do not know-” Another bang off the same side of the shuttle sounded, this time closer, startling Geordi with a yell. It shook the whole craft, and suddenly the computer was warning about ten different things at once. The shuttle began to shutter and careen to the left. A view of a planet came on screen, and its rapidly approaching atmosphere did nothing to settle Geordi’s mind.

“Data-!”

“I cannot-”

“Warning-”

“Nothing is responding-”

“Direct power-”

“Life support malfunctioning-”

“DATA-!”

“Geordi-!”

“Warning! Warning! Warning! Warning-!” The shuttle was gaining speed, and the force of the fall shot Geordi’s stomach to his throat. Before long, they were entering the atmosphere, and the inside of the shuttle was getting _warm_. It was getting warm and hard to breathe and Geordi’s hands couldn't move fast enough to compensate, even with Data next to him, and it was getting hot now and black spots danced across Geordi’s vision and the only thing he could see were dust and clouds until suddenly there was the ground coming closer and faster and faster and

* * *

* * *

It didn’t hurt as bad as he thought it would. Don’t get him wrong though; his whole body ached from the force of the crash impact. But it wasn’t the most painful thing that’d happened to him.

Geordi opened his eyes. His head pounded, and he was sure a migraine was only hours away, but as he started to gain more focus, he realized it wasn’t going to be a VISOR migraine. His whole vision was black, and he silently cursed. Of course his VISOR would get jostled off his face. His luck. He tried to move his arm to find his VISOR, but when he did, a splitting pain ruptured in his chest. _Fuck_. Broken ribs? God, he sure hoped not.

Moving as delicately as he could, he felt the floor around him, only to come up with broken pieces and computer parts. Groaning, he tried to sit up. Not a great idea. The pain he felt moving his arm was nothing compared to trying to move his torso. He cried out and grabbed his side, falling back to the floor with a hard thud. 

“Data,” Geordi hissed, his breath shallow with the effort. No response. “Data!” he tried louder, followed by a hollow cough. The shot to his ribs caused him to gasp, and even that hurt. He could’ve cried, out of pain or frustration. Both. Damnit he was _still in the dark_. 

_Okay, think._ He was on his back. There was a slight pressure on his left leg, but it wasn’t enough to hurt. He had at least one broken rib, maybe two, and that was going to impede his movement. His first attempt at sitting up didn’t go as planned, but he had to try again. It was either that, or wait blind until someone or something found him. 

Taking a few breaths as deep as he could, he steeled himself to move to his left side. He yelled with the effort, but in a matter of seconds he was on his side, his right hand bracing the floor of the shuttlecraft. He lay there, dizzy, and not a little bit nauseous. He tried to breathe through it. A few seconds later, he positioned his other arm under him, and pushed upwards with as much strength as he could. His chest screamed in pain, but he wasn’t gonna let himself fall again. Gritting his teeth, he managed to sit upright, and in a moment bent over, hand gripping his side. What he wouldn’t do for Dr. Crusher right now. _Broken ribs_.

He sat there for a while, he wasn’t sure how long. It only felt like a couple minutes, but honestly? Could’ve been hours. The ache in his head didn’t go away, and now, coupled with the pain in his chest, his mind was swimming. It was starting to get hard to gather his thoughts, and his eyelids drooped dangerously.

“No, come on, La Forge,” he said softly. “You can stay awake, you’re a Starfleet Officer. You don’t sleep on the job.” He brought his hand up and pinched his cheek. But instead of sparking clarity, all it did was add another stinging pain to the pot. He sighed. Doing nothing but wasting time. 

Gingerly, Geordi reached out to his left leg. Before he’d be able to stand, he’d have to find out what was there. Bending further than he thought he’d have to, his fingers landed on something… soft. Like… polymer skin? Reaching father up, eyelashes brushed against his hand. _Eyes don’t poke the eyes out_. It was a dumb thought of course; even if he could just pop Data’s eyes out, it wasn’t like it was going to be painful. At least not physically. Geordi knew Data didn’t like things… popping off.

Geordi’s elation at finding Data, however, was swiftly cut short. A dozen thoughts raced through his head at once. Why was Data laying on his leg? Was he hurt? Shut off? Oh god, what if he got himself killed. He could be destroyed beyond repair. He could have gotten speared straight through, decapitated, mangled, broken-

“Geordi?” 

He stilled, his hands slightly shaking. That was Data’s voice, but it sounded small. 

“Data?” he whispered. Still, no response. He felt Data blink. Groaning, Geordi shifted into a kneeling position, careful to keep Data’s head steady before setting it on the ground. “Data, are you okay?” Nothing. “Data, please you gotta talk to me, are you okay?” His hands were beginning to shake again, and his breaths started to become painful. He patted the air, lowering his hands until they landed on Data’s abdomen. Gliding his hands back, he found Data’s arm, and swept his hand down until it landed on the other’s. He grabbed it and squeezed it once, gently. Geordi felt Data return the gesture, though it was far too weak for an android. 

“Geordi, I hope I am not worrying you.” He paused. His voice sounded tinny and hollow. “If that is you.” Geordi squeezed, hoping Data understood. After a long, silent minute, Data squeezed back again. “I seem to have lost my sensory input. I cannot see or hear you.” Geordi’s heart sank just a bit at that. Okay. That’s fine. He’s alive. As long as they can find Geordi’s VISOR, he should be able to fix whatever wires crossed in Data’s head. 

With a firm squeeze, Geordi let go of Data’s hand. First things first, he needed to find his VISOR. Cautiously stretching his arms out, he felt for his surroundings. After a bit of searching, he found he was close to his chair and console. That was good, maybe his VISOR was on the console, or at least nearby, not strewn halfway across the shuttle. He grabbed a hold of the arm of his chair, and with a quick recollection, raised to stand up. His side was alight with pain again, but on the upside, his legs were holding him up fine, if not a bit shakey. 

He took a tentative step forward, and found his way to his console, sweeping his arms wide, careful not to knock anything off. When he couldn’t locate his VISOR he sighed, and dropped into a crouch. He felt around the base of the chair, under the console, all around the front of the shuttle. Not there. Damnit. When he stood back up, he rubbed the palms of his hands against his temples. His headache was getting worse, and he dreaded to know what it would feel like when he put his VISOR back on. He was exhausted.

Geordi turned to walk back towards Data. He took a step forward- and kicked something. He heard it slide across the floor and hit something with force.

“Geordi,” Data’s voice directly in front of him. “I believe you may have hit me with an object or your foot.” 

Geordi sighed for what felt like the millionth time. So much for not being strewn halfway across the shuttle. Slowly, he walked back towards Data, careful not to step on anything but shuttlecraft floor. Crouching again, he found his VISOR next to Data’s head. Making sure it was facing the right way, Geordi connected it to the transmitters. He blinked, and suddenly the craft lit up in thermal energy readings. _Finally._ Blinking against the familiar throb in his forehead, he turned to Data. It… wasn’t bad. In fact, the only thing Geordi could find out of place was Data’s eyes. They were glassy, or at least the android version of glassy. 

Setting that aside, he scanned the shuttlecraft, circling his position. It was in relatively good condition, a few computers blown, some unbolted equipment destroyed, but overall… Geordi guessed the shuttle wasn’t as bad as he thought. The engineers at least had the sense to make sure it wouldn’t kill its passengers on impact… 

Geordi took one last look around before settling back on Data. He was on his back, legs splayed out with a hand over his stomach. If he didn’t know better, he would’ve assumed Data was just sleeping. Then he blinked and his eyes landed near Geordi.

“All right, buddy,” Geordi said. “Let’s see what’s wrong.” He crouched down beside his friend, making sure he knew he was there. He grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him into a sitting position. His side screamed in pain, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that right now.

“Geordi, before you work on anything,” Data started. “I have already run two level three diagnostics and could not find anything to be out of place.” That’s strange. He should’ve picked up the sensory malfunctions... “I do not know what is wrong.”

Geordi patted his arm. That’s ok, it’s fine. He’s been able to fix Data with much worse problems before, he can get them out of this mess. He scooted around until he was sitting behind Data, neck craning to be head level with him. He popped open the left, back, and right cranial units from Data’s head and placed them down next to him. He didn’t have the right tools (or any tools at all), but he could at least see the problem. Shuffling to his knees, he peered into the little square of circuits. Dots of lights blinked intermittently, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary-

A spark of electricity zipped past Geordi’s hand. At the same time, Data flinched, like he’d just been shocked. Warily, Geordi looked back into the port. Blue remnants buzzed around before dying out. 

“Geordi-” Data started, an edge in his voice, but before he could go further, Geordi patted his shoulder. No sense in asking a question if you can’t even hear the answer. And he didn’t know if he could even provide one; in all his years of knowing Data, he’d never known loose electricity to just be buzzing around his head. His hand lingered on the other’s shoulder, and he squeezed it before returning to his head. They sat there for a few minutes while Geordi poked around Data’s wires. The less answers he found, though, the more and more frustrated he got. From his point of view, there was nothing wrong with his friend. And seeing how Data couldn’t even find anything, Geordi assumed he won’t either. He made sure Data knew he was gonna get up before prodding around for tools that could _hopefully_ make things easier.

They didn’t.

* * *

* * *

After another thirty minutes of tinkering and three more blue sparks, Geordi gave up. His head was pounding, and he wasn’t going to get anywhere right now, not with the tools he has and certainly not without Data’s help. Which was impossible at the moment. 

The whole time, Data had been sitting stick straight, hands folded neatly in his lap. He hadn’t attempted any form of conversation, and while Geordi understood why, he still felt a little lonely without his voice. He wasn’t a chatterbox, but Data could work up some steam if he was enjoying what he was talking about. Which usually meant Geordi could be found on the receiving end of a two hour conversation about… dilithium crystals. Cat behavior. Early forms of poetry. Even once almost falling asleep to a mantra about the exact chemical components of the color red. Now he missed Data’s voice.

“Well, seeing as I’m not getting anywhere…” Geordi trailed off. There wasn’t anything else to do with Data, and he couldn’t put off going outside the craft any longer. He stood up and took Data along with him, guiding him as best as he could to his own com and chair. He wished he could explain he wasn’t leaving him, but all he could do was squeeze Data’s shoulders in two, quick bursts. He was about to turn around when Data’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

“Geordi…” If he didn’t know, he would’ve thought he heard alarm in Data’s voice. “I… are you planning to go outside the shuttle?” Geordi brought his and Data’s hands up and squeezed it once. Data nodded. “That seems to be the best course of action.” He let go of the other’s wrist. “Please be careful.”

“I will.” He knew Data couldn’t hear him, but he thought it important to respond anyway. With one more quick squeeze, Geordi walked to the far end of the shuttle and opened the door. A light, cool breeze greeted him and he took as deep a breath he could. It was dark out, and when Geordi turned to look up, he found thousands of stars twinkling back down at him. _Guess they’re strict on limiting light pollution_. Even on Earth now you couldn’t find that many stars in the sky. It was breathtaking. 

The area surrounding the shuttlecraft was… less than breathtaking. There was at least a twenty foot skid mark where the shuttle dug itself into the ground upon landing. A few trees were broken and cracked. Stepping around the side of the shuttle, Geordi noticed quite a large lake right in front of it. It was lucky they didn’t skid straight in and drown. He rubbed the back of his neck and walked back towards the shuttle door. They crashed in an opening in what looks like a forest. God, Geordi hoped it was a small forest. Slumming it in the woods wasn’t exactly trained in Starfleet. Sure, he could figure out how to make a fire, get some food. But navigation? Finding a way out? Not his expertise. He’d rather be tinkering with Data again.

He stepped back inside the shuttle and put his hands on his hips. He had to figure out how to fix Data before he could do anything else. There was no exploring, no escaping, without the help of his friend. Geordi frowned. But he couldn’t help his friend without exploring… What could he do? Leave Data? No that didn’t sound right. He couldn’t leave him blind and deaf in an unknown world. That’d be cruel, even if Geordi was leaving to find supplies. Take him with him? Maybe… if Geordi could figure out how to make Data look inconspicuous, maybe they could find a town, stroll right in. He looked over at Data at the com. Yeah, that could work. But how to tell him…

Geordi walked back towards Data and sat at his own chair beside him. Data was still sitting stick straight, but this time elbows were propped on the chair’s armrest, his arms dangling down on his lap leisurely. He was staring out the cockpit windshield, his head tilted slightly. He almost looked like a newly built android, and then he blinked. Geordi smiled. Even when his eyes weren’t working, he still made an effort to look human. 

Eyes trailing down his arm, Geordi grabbed Data’s hand gently and faced it palm up. Data’s head snapped towards him, but his expression was more of curiosity instead of alarm. Geordi smoothed out his palm before starting.

 **_DATA_ **

“Data,” he repeated. “Geordi, are you attempting to communicate with me by tracing letters on my hand?” Geordi traced the letters slowly and deliberately, _yes_. “Ah. That is smart.” Geordi smiled.

**_WE NEED SUPPLIES_ **

“Yes. My sensory input is malfunctioning, but my data banks are still online. Before we crashed, I was able to scan the planet. I think there is a town fifteen kilometers from here.” Geordi pursed his lips. Fifteen kilometers is a lot to walk, especially with broken ribs and a malfunctioning andriod. 

_**LONG WALK** _

“It is the closest town,” Data stated. “Any others are more than one hundred kilometers.” Geordi huffed in frustration. Well. It could be worse. He chewed his bottom lip, thumb rubbing over Data’s palm in thought.

**_OK_ **

Geordio moved to stand, but Data closed his hand over Geordi’s.

“I still cannot see or hear, Geordi. How will I navigate?” A beat. Then,

**_TRUST_ **

Geordi saw Data’s eyes widen slightly. Then he nodded, and soon he and Geordi were on their way.


	2. Chatper 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's chapter 2 set completely in Data's pov!! i think im gonna switch between Geordi and Data every chapter, i hope it doesnt get confusing or annoying :0
> 
> no official beta we die like idiots

It took them three hours.

Data’s initial disorientation slowly dissipated until he felt confident enough to walk without Geordi’s hand. Three times Geordi had to keep Data from falling into a river, five times from walking off a cliff, and two hundred and twenty-eight times did he need help from tripping over his own feet. Being without sensory was… it was difficult. But he wasn’t frustrated, he couldn’t be. He was an android. It wasn’t frustration he was feeling it was… it was… 

It wasn’t frustration.

“Geordi,” Data began. “Please tell me if you need to rest. We have been walking nonstop for two hours and seventeen minutes. I am sure you are tired.” Trying to talk without hearing was also difficult. He was sure he was pronouncing every word correctly and clearly, and his internal volume control made certain he wasn’t shouting. He didn’t have a voice box that rumbled when he talked, and because of that, if Data couldn’t feel his mouth moving, he might as well have not been talking at all. It was an odd sensation.

But it wasn’t frustrating.

Data felt Geordi take his hand and trace over his palm,  _ thank you _ .

“You do not need to thank me, I do not want you to hurt yourself.” Geordi let go of his hand and led him a few paces to the left. He was gently pushed until he was seated on, presumably, a large stone. The texture under Data’s hand was rough and hard. At least he could still physically feel things. That was, as Geordi likes to say, ‘a plus’. Data felt the other’s thumb run over his palm.  _ How are you? _

“I am functioning under… tolerable parameters.” He was being sincere; it was tolerable. He’s under no immediate danger. Any discomforts he had (he had no discernable discomforts) didn’t matter at the moment. “How are you?” he asked with a slight head tilt. Geordi’s thumb moved lightly.  _ I’m fine don’t worry _ . Data frowned. He wished he was able to look over his friend. He really had no way of telling if Geordi was lying or not. 

* * *

After ten more minutes of rest, Data felt Geordi stand up. Taking that as a cue, he stood as well, hovering as close to the other without being annoying. Or what he assumed Geordi would find annoying. He was never shy about physical contact, but there were days where he was distant. And that was okay. But trying to gauge that when one is deaf and blind is tricky. 

They walked for another twenty minutes. Their pace was slow and cautious, and the thick forest foliage didn’t help. Data’s feet kept entangling themselves with loose leaves, vines, tree trunks, and more than once he nearly brought down Geordi with him. Data had never had a problem like this on an away mission before, and although they’re not on a mission and the stakes are considerably higher, he found himself interested in every sensation he felt. It wasn’t everyday he could wander a uniquely alien planet without his sensory inputs. 

But it wasn’t an experience he would like to replicate again.

Five minutes later Geordi laid a hand on his shoulder. Data turned towards him quizzically, expecting a thumb on his palm. Instead, he felt Geordi’s presence leave. He wasn’t more than a few steps away, Data knew that, but there was still an air of… detachment. Suddenly, he wasn’t grounded anymore (not in the physical sense, obviously, but... not in the mental sense either. Data was an android. He could not feel alone). But still, he felt-

There was a spark in his positronic net.

And it hurt.

“Geordi,” Data called. He suddenly did not want to be away from him. “Geordi, are you okay?” There wasn’t an answer. Data wasn’t expecting one, really, but it was still disconcerting. He waited for an interaction, and hand on his shoulder, a squeeze of his arm, rough thumb pad against his palm. There was nothing. There was an odd twinge in his stomach, and without realizing it, he started walking. One slow step forward, and pause. Another step and a pause. Another step and the toe of his boot caught something and he was tipping forward, scrambling to get his footing. A pause. “Geordi, I-” Data started to call out when he felt his left foot shift. It was subtle and sharp, and he tried to take a step forward to compensate. He put all his weight on his right foot and

Stepped onto nothing.

Data yelled as he started falling, and for a brief moment he felt fingers grab at his uniform. It wasn’t enough, and he toppled forward. A moment felt like he was suspended in air, and then his shoulder hit the ground and suddenly he was spinning. Head over heels over head over heels, his shoulder, then his knee, his wrists, his back, his legs, and if he could feel, he'd be relieved he couldn't experience pain. That would’ve hurt. He rolled onto his shoulder for the last time before slamming his head onto rock, momentum lost on finally flat land. The impact jolted his whole head, and his teeth clacked together loudly. He was going to need to look that over later. 

He laid there for a moment, trying to regain his composure. He was breathing fast and deep, and he could feel his artificial heart beating faster than normal. He was a bit disoriented, and didn’t notice when Geordi dropped to his knees next to him.

“Ah, shit, Data, fuck, that was my fault I shouldn’t have left you god I hope you’re okay imagine that surviving a shuttlecraft crash but dying off a cliff…” There was a whirr in Data’s brain.

“Geordi-”

“Data! God Data I’m sorry-”

“Geordi-”

“-I shouldn't have left-”

“Geordi-”

“-hope you’re not hurt-”

“Geordi.” Data reached out to grab Geordi’s hand and opened his eyes, settling them on his friend. “I am fine.” They looked at each other for a full ten seconds before Geordi yelled.

“You can see! Can you hear? Do you know what happened? I bet it was when you hit your head. Though, I didn’t know a jolt to the head could cross your wires… but I guess that’s what happened in the crash right? Are you okay? Do you feel any different?” Data waited patiently for Geordi’s bombardment to end.

“I seem to have audio and visual sensors back online, though I am not sure how.” He sat up and flexed his fingers. “But it might be worth mentioning, I felt another spark shock my positronic network just before falling.” He didn’t mention the pain it caused.

“Do you think there’s a connection?” There was a pause. 

“I do not know.” He was saying that a lot lately. Data noticed Geordi frowning in his direction “What is wrong?” Geordi shook his head.

“Nothing, just-” he reached out and smoothed a piece of Data’s hair back. “Your hair got all messed up,” he murmured. There was another twinge in his stomach, but this one was… warmer? What did that mean? Shaking his head, Data reached up to smooth back his hair as best as he could. 

“It is an ‘occupational hazard’, as Commander Riker likes to say.” Data put on a small smile and tilted his head somewhat. “I cannot be a Starfleet Officer if I worry about my hair too often.”

“I wish the rest of the crew thought the way you did,” Geordi sighed.

* * *

The town was small, holding only one hundred and six residents, with a tall stone wall surrounding the perimeter. Geordi had said it looked pretty. The rising sun was hitting their backs, and it washed the stone in pink and gold. A satisfactory color scheme that many humans seemed to enjoy. Data didn’t understand why. 

Geordi had stopped behind a thick pile of bushes, signaling for Data to as well.

“Okay,” he said quietly. “This is it.” He stood staring at the wall surrounding the town. “We just need to stroll right in. No biggie. Confidence.” Data noticed the other’s heart rate starting to rise. “We’ve done stuff like this before, alien planet alien people.” His breathing was becoming erratic. “We’re Starfleet, right? We can do this, and we can do this safely.” His hand was holding his side, and his breathing was shallow. 

“Geordi...” Data took a step forward, concern flooding his systems “What is wrong?” Geordi didn’t usually act like this. He was usually so sure of himself, confidence leaking out of him like biofuel. He could fix a warp coil on the brink of explosion, holding himself like the stress and work wasn’t about to crush him right through the floor. But right now… Geordi was looking at him, face pinched, anxiety written all over. He opened his mouth, looked like he was about to say something, then closed it. Turning back to the wall, he sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m sorry I’m just- it’s…” His tone was clipped, and Data found himself stepping closer, until he was close enough to brush shoulders.

“I think I may understand,” Data said, matching Geordi’s volume. “This is not an away mission. We are… far… from the Enterprise. If something were to go wrong,” he shifted until he was face to face with his friend, “there will be no one to help us.” Geordi gazed at him for a long time, hands clenching and unclenching sporadically. 

“Yeah,” he finally said, swallowing thickly. “Yeah, that’s-” rubbing the back of his neck, he took a deep breath. Data noticed he was chewing the inside of his cheek, hard. He almost looked ready to fall apart, and Data wanted nothing more than to call off the walk and take him back to the damaged shuttlecraft. Let him sleep. 

_ Wanted nothing more… _

“I’m scared, Data.” That shook him out of his thoughts. He focused on Geordi and reached out his hand, landing on the other’s shoulder. With a smile he hoped was comforting, he gave it a short squeeze, strength calculated carefully as to not hurt him. He wasn’t the best with words, and gestures were sometimes very confusing to Data. But when Geordi relaxed in front of him and smiled, it didn’t matter. He managed to cheer up his closest friend. “I’m scared that, I don’t know, something’s gonna happen. Something always happens. And a lot of the times,” Geordi ducked his head. “A lot of the times, it’s you something’s happened to.” 

“I appreciate your concern for my well being, Geordi, but I am an android. If something were to happen, I could be fixed, or-”

“No I know!” Geordi started biting at his thumbnail, pacing slightly. “I know, you can be fixed or patched up not like humans can, and you’re resilient and strong and,” he stopped pacing and hesitated. “And I don’t want to be responsible for whatever happens, Data. I want us to find a way home. Together.” Geordi emphasised the last word with a raise of his eyebrows. Data tilted his head.

“We will find a way back to the Enterprise. Together.” They stared at each other until Geordi’s face broke into a grin.

“All right Data, you’re right.” He clapped the other on the arm, all worries seemingly gone. “There’s no use worrying when nothing’s even happened.” Turning back to the town entrance he scrubbed his face, his smile fading. “First thing’s first, what do we do about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you’re an android right? A humanoid android. Who’s to say this planet even has androids, much less technology. How do we hide you?”

“I do not think you need to hide me at all.” When Geordi gave him an odd look, he continued. “As I have said, I was able to scan the planet before we entered its atmosphere, though it was a very short scan. I did not get much out of it. I did manage to find that the inhabitants of this planet have advanced towards robotics and cybernetics, similar to Earth’s late 21st century. However, they have not advanced as far as space travel.” Geordi groaned.

“So I guess we’re not gonna get any help from them, huh.”

“It seems that way. Based on the timing of their previous advancements, I would calculate it to be another two hundred years before they begin exploring their galaxy.” Geordi removed his VISOR and rubbed his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips.

“That’s okay,” he said. “All we gotta do is fix the shuttle right? We can do that.” He turned towards the entrance of the town. “Alright, Data. Let’s go.”

* * *

The town was quiet. Data speculated that, at this time of morning, most residents would be asleep. Those who were awake didn’t make much noise, and even as they passed the two strangers, not even a look in their direction. Maybe it was a cultural thing. In the American south, it would be considered rude if you do not stop to make conversation with those you meet throughout your day. However, in the northeast (most notably New York City) you were rude if you stopped to talk to others. Maybe it was the same here.

“Do you have an idea of what you are looking for, Geordi?” Data leaned slightly towards the other. He hummed in response.

“For now, we need tools, I need to see if they have anything that could help take a look at you,” He said. Pursing his lips, he picked at his ruined uniform. “And I guess new clothes too.” They walked for a few more moments in silence, until,

“Geordi. I do not think we have any money.” This stopped Geordi in his place. 

“Ah, Data, you’re right.” He smacked his forehead and sighed. “We have absolutely no money, how are we gonna pay for anything?”

“No money?” Data and Geordi whipped around to see an older woman standing behind them, a smile on her face. “You said you had no money?”

“Well uh, we actually, uh-”

“We are new here, ma’am,” Data said. 

“Yeah! Real new, blew in from the south just a few minutes ago actually.” Geordi let out a faint chuckle. “We weren’t expecting to be so strapped for cash.” The woman smiled at Geordi before settling her gaze on Data, and there was a brief moment where he wanted to back up. Her gaze was… too sharp. Her eyes widened a fraction before taking his face in her hands. He was considerably taller than her, and he had to bend slightly as she stood on her tiptoes. 

“Now this one’s odd looking, aren’t you dear,” she said, an eyebrow raised.

“He’s…” Geordi glanced back at Data.

“I am an android, ma’am,” he finished.

“An android, huh? We don’t see many of those around here, and you’ve got an interesting one, dear.” The woman winked at Geordi and patted Data’s cheek. “How about you boys come into my store, I’ve got coffee brewing on the pot right now.” She started walking towards a general store. “You can pick out anything you need, too, yeah? I don’t want newcomers dropping in without being properly welcomed.”

“No, ma’am it’s okay, you don’t have to-”

“Nonsense,” the woman said. “You two look like you’ve just crash landed here, what with the state of your clothes! Now,” she grabbed Data’s wrist and started pulling him in the direction of the large store. “Help yourself to whatever you boys need, yeah?” She let go to grab a set of keys from her coat pocket, and unlocked the glass double doors. Opening them up, she swept her arm wide, allowing the two to slip past into the store.

It was quite large for a regular general store. There were rows upon rows of shelves, filling up the entire space of the building. There were signs above the aisles, and from where Data was standing, he could make out just a few of them.  _ Canned Goods Dry Goods Cold Goods Hot Goods Oven Goods Spiced Goods Fruit. _ The labeling here seemed a bit more generic than on Earth. Data turned towards Geordi, a question on his face.

“Why don’t we look for clothes first. I'm ready to get out of this gross uniform,” he murmured. Data nodded and followed the other to the back of the store where racks of clothes were spread out. There wasn’t as big of a selection as there was food, but it wasn’t slim pickings. There were piles of t-shirts and sweaters, different styles of jeans and slacks, all different sizes and colors. Data picked out just a few outfits and followed Geordi to the dressing rooms (he may know his uniform size, but that doesn’t mean he knows how civilian clothes would fit). Data had picked out two t-shirts and matching pairs of jeans, each colors and shapes that compliment each other. His first shirt was gold and red blocked with white polka dots, the other one a plain black, his jeans white washed and fitting. They were surprisingly comfortable. When he exited the dressing room he found Geordi right outside peering into a floor length mirror

“What do you think, Data? Too loud?” The article of clothing in question was a chunky sunset orange sweater with light pink horizontal stripes. Hanging in his arm was a peach button up with little black cartoon robots printed all over it. Data smiled.

“The sweater is very pleasing to look at, and the button up is… adorable.” Geordi looked at him in the mirror and smiled.

“I thought you’d like that one,” he said and turned around taking in Data. “You don’t look half bad yourself, man. Never thought I’d get to see you out of your uniform. Of your own accord,” he added at the end. The only time Data has been out of uniform was if he’d been kidnapped, or in the holodeck (but he didn’t think Geordi meant costumes). Data tilted his head and reached out to take the clothes in Geordi’s hands.

“I am not particularly fond of being out of my uniform, however I do not experience discomfort if I am. These clothes, though… are nice.” Data couldn’t really explain it, they were just different from 24th century clothes. He did find he enjoyed the separation of shirt and pants.

The rest of the time in the general store was spent stocking up on as much food as they could while Data searched for anything machine that could help them. It was slow going as the selection for tools wasn’t as vast as the selection for clothes. In an hour and a half, though, he was standing next to Geordi at the front counter waiting for the old woman to ring up their items, Geordi almost pleading with her.

“Ma’am, we can’t take all of this for free-”

“Nonsense, don’t worry about it!”

“No, but, please it’s too much-”

“Sir, if you don’t accept my hospitality,” the woman stopped what she was doing, eyeing Geordi. “Then I’m going to have to make you take more of my merchandise.” She smiled warmly. “I cannot have two young men out there with nothing to their names. Now!” clapping her hands she began to bag the items. “I better see you back here tomorrow, same time! It’s always nice having a morning chat, yeah?” Geordi glanced at Data before he sighed.

“I can’t say no, can I?”

“Absolutely not.” Geordi’s smile matched the woman’s and he thanked her, Data following suit. 

* * *

By the time they finished, the sun had already risen halfway up the sky. Data would calculate it to be nearly eight in the morning. More residents were outside now, many making their way to the center of the town where, presumably, most of the jobs were. Geordi and Data headed in the opposite direction. They didn’t plan on staying too long, and they didn’t want to grab any more unwanted attention.

“Ok, Data, when we get back I’ll need you to-” Geordi gasped and stopped in his tracks, hand flying to his right side. His face scrunched up, and his breathing became quick and shallow.

“Geordi?” Data stepped close to his friend, hand reaching out to try and comfort. “I know I am asking this a lot but… what is wrong?” he asked. Geordi turned his head to look at him, mouth set in a thin line. It was a second before he said anything.

“I think I cracked a few ribs in the crash.” There was a tick in Data’s brain.

“Cracked?”

“Yeah, cracked, broken, split, busted. Either way, it hurts.”

“Geordi, you need to seek medical attention right away,” Data set his face to look ‘concerned’ before taking his hand and dragging him back towards the center of town.

“What? No, Data I’m fine,” he argued. “I don’t need-” Dragging his feet, Geordi tried to worm out of Data’s grip, with no luck. “I don’t need medical attention, I just-”

“If you do not set your ribs correctly, they may heal broken and warped.” Data stopped and turned to look at Geordi. “If you are experiencing pain right now, that is how the rest of your life could feel.” He felt Geordi stiffen for a moment before taking a long breath.

“I know, Data, I just. I don’t want to stay here too long. We could get… found out or… I don’t know! Something could happen! I’d just,” he looked at the ground. “Right now, I’d rather play it safe than sorry, you know?” Data kept a pointed look at Geordi.

“I do not know, but if it will make you more comfortable…” Data let go of Geordi’s hand

_ It was quite warm but not unpleasant are all humans warm like that or is it just Geordi _

and took a small step back. He could see Geordi visibly relax, and filed it away. He’ll have to ask him later why he seemed so stressed. Maybe it was a human ‘gut feeling’ again.

“Thank you,” Geordi said. He turned and started walking back in the direction of the shuttle, Data right behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i still havent found a suitable publishing schedule but im thinking after this week itll be every wednesday!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well it looks like this chapter took much longer than a week, and id like to apologize!! for the time being im making it official that i dont have a publishing schedule, im just kinda writing when i write T-T  
> i hope you like this chapter though, its the last one before some major plot starts happening :0c

The walk back only took about half the time without a 300 pound android tripping over his own feet. The sun was completely up now, and it was starting to get a bit hotter. The inside of the shuttlecraft was bearable for now, but Geordi presumed in no time at all he and Data would have to move their work outside. He was already sweating by the time they got back, Geordi wiping the back of his hand across his forehead.

His right side was starting to get to the point where he couldn’t just forget about it anymore. Every breath felt like he was drinking lava, and the pinching on his side was unbearable. He was thankful Data wasn’t letting him carry any of the bags; even the few clothes they bought would’ve been too much.  _ But that’s okay _ , Geordi thought as he looked over at him.  _ It probably doesn’t even feel like he’s carrying anything. _ Data was carrying three grocery bags on each arm and he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. If he could sweat. Which he couldn't.

“K, Data, if you could just drop those anywhere inside, we can get started on your positronics,” Geordi said, pulling the shuttle door open. “Maybe we can finally figure out what the hell’s sparking in your brain.” Data tilted his head, following Geordi.

“That would be sufficient. I do not enjoy whatever is happening.” He went over to the com and slid the bags onto the two chairs. Geordi looked up as he said that.

“What do you mean?” He tried to keep Data’s gaze, but his eyes shifted down and away. He was quiet, his eyes roaming the floor of the shuttle before he looked back at Geordi. He opened his mouth, decided against what he wanted to say, and closed it. Geordi was starting to worry, and he crossed the shuttle to Data in two steps. “Data?”

“The first instance I felt a… spark… in my positronic brain was one point four seconds before the first ripple of the space anomaly. The second was nine seconds into our descent into the planet's atmosphere. That is when I lost my sensory inputs.” Data’s face was set, his brows drawn together in such a Data-like fashion. If Geordi wanted, he could picture him sitting at his post on the bridge, the same expression pointed at the captain. “Both times I felt the spark, there was… it felt like…” Data’s eyes flitted back and forth, looking at nothing. “It felt like an itch.”

“An itch?”

“An itch. I do not know how else to describe it.” Geordi noticed he was subtly flexing his fingers. _Is he nervous?_ “The times I felt the spark after… Geordi, I…” Data was shaking his head. “I cannot experience pain, I am an android. However, the two previous times… it hurt,” Data finished lamely, finally making eye contact with Geordi, the other’s eyes widening.

“Data, are you sure it was pain you felt?”

“I am not sure, I have never experienced pain before.” Geordi started biting his thumbnail.

“What does it mean?” Geordi murmured. “Is there anything else that’s bothering you?” He could almost feel Data’s hesitation.

“Nothing other than that,” he said. His fingers had stopped flexing and were now resting lightly at his sides. Geordi’s hands itched to take them.  _ Not now.  _

“Please,” Geordi started. “If you feel it again, please tell me.”  _ Please don’t leave it until the last minute like you always do _ .

“I could ask of you the same, Geordi.” 

“Hm?”

“It took you nearly five hours to tell me your ribs are broken.” Geordi felt his face heat up, and he turned away, feigning searching the shuttle. For what, he didn’t know.

“That’s different, Data,” Geordi said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve broken a rib before, the only difference was I had 24th century medicine. You… this is wildly new. We have no idea what this even is!” He turned back and walked up to Data, head tilted slightly. “We don’t know if it’s just messing with your wires or, or if it can shut you off, or,” he blew out a breath. “It could kill you.”

“A lot of things can kill me, I do not understand why this one is catching your attention-”

“Data! You can’t see it? You can’t see just how much of a danger this is?” Geordi threw up his hands, exasperated. “What. The  _ fuck _ . Is going on?!” Geordi’s voice was starting to rise and his breathing was coming out fast. “It’s a blue spark! That can actually shock your system!” He started to pace the length of the shuttle. “This isn’t an away mission, we aren’t right under the Enterprise! If something happened to you we can’t just beam directly to engineering!” He stopped and stared at Data. “I do not understand why this one  _ isn’t _ catching your attention!” They kept each other’s gaze for a long time, neither of them daring more than a breath. Geordi tried to take a deep, calming breath, but couldn’t get more than a pant before his ribs were aflame. He grimaced and grabbed at his side for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Data crossed the shuttle to stand next to him, a hand hovering over his shoulder.

“Geordi, please sit down,” he said. Geordi narrowed his eyes, but complied, sitting down on one of the benches near the back. 

“Don’t think you get out of talking to me just because I’ve got a few broken ribs.” He pointed a finger up at Data. The other’s smile was short and soft.

“We can begin examining my positronic brain as soon as I have taken care of your ribs. I promise,” he added after Geordi gave him a look. “Now please take your sweater off.” 

“Uh-” Geordi’s face felt warm again.

“I need to take a look at your ribs. I cannot do that with your sweater on.”

“Right! Yeah, yeah, no problem,” Geordi floundered as he shucked his top off, careful not to raise his right arm too high. Soon, he was sitting on a shuttlecraft bench in only a pair of jeans with Data’s hands  _ running up his side oh my god- _

“Geordi, please stop squirming. If it hurts, tell me,” Data glanced up at him as he said it. Geordi hummed out a response and tried to sit still. It was odd. Data’s hands weren’t as cold as he thought they were going to be, but they weren’t warm either. And they were soft  _ oh my god they’re so soft _ and they were ghosting up his right side, pressing firmly intermittently, the contact sending shockwaves through his body. Geordi could feel his face heat up again and his stomach dropped out from under him. Finally, he chanced a peek at his side and almost gasped. The bruising itself was a deep ugly purple and brown, reaching nearly all the way to his chest. It blossomed out and around his side, and looked  _ way  _ worse than two broken ribs. In no time, Data found where the break was the worst, and pushed. Geordi hissed and tried to move away, but Data’s other hand came up and pressed down on his other side.

“I need you to sit still, please,” he said quietly. Geordi apologized and closed his eyes. After another agonizing minute, Data stood. “You have three broken ribs on your right side, and minor bruising on your left.” Geordi eyed the other side and sure enough, there was some purple there as well. “I need you to take a deep breath,” Data said, settling in next to Geordi.

“Data- I can’t,” Geordi shook his head. He’d tried. Several times already. It hurt  _ too damn much _ .

“There aren’t many treatments for broken ribs, but you do need to take as deep a breath as possible at least once every hour. Taking only shallow breaths could increase your risk of developing pneumonia, or even a partial collapse of your lung tissue.” Geordi mulled this over. Was it worth it to prevent pneumonia? It almost wasn’t.

Steeling himself, he closed his eyes and started to draw in a breath. There was a sharp pinch in his side and he immediately exhaled. Frustrated, he opened his eyes to look at Data.

“Are you sure it’s ‘take a deep breath’?” he asked. 

“I took a course on human first aid and medicine my last year at Starfleet Academy,” Data tilted his head a fraction “I can assure you deep breaths are one of the most important things about fractured rib recovery.”  _ Damn Data, can’t make anything easy, huh? _ Geordi didn’t make any inclination of trying again, and this whole thing was starting to get tiresome. God, all he wanted right now was a soft bed and the familiar thrum of the Enterprise. “If you want, you could try a breathing exercise instead of one deep breath.” 

“And what would that look like?”

“You start with three seconds of deep breathing, then three seconds of relaxed breathing, one or two short coughs, and finally three more seconds of relaxed breathing, repeated several times.”

“Jesus, Data, that sounds worse than just one breath.”

“You may find it relaxing.” Data raised his eyebrows, and Geordi sighed.

“Fine, okay.” Closing his eyes once again, Geordi started the exercise. It was as painful as he had expected, and he gladly would not do it again. But Data was right. After a minute or so, Geordi started to relax in that weird way where your anxieties aren’t lifted but… pushed aside. All the tension held in his shoulders slowly trickled away, until Geordi found himself leaning back against the wall of the shuttlecraft. He opened his eyes and found Data a little ways away staring at him, head tilted somewhat. He probably didn’t notice Geordi’s eyes opening (how could he, it’s not like he has x-ray vision. He doesn’t have x-ray vision, does he?), and he took that moment to stare back. Data was holding Geordi’s sweater, and Geordi noticed the orange looked nice in contrast to the other’s palette. Data’s gold eyes shone bright against the burnt color, and the gold the shirt he was wearing was similar to their uniform color. _ He always looked stunning in gold _ … 

Data blinked. 

“Geordi, are you finished?” he asked. The other hummed and stood, careful not to move too much. 

“Yeah, I think I’m done,” he said. Rubbing his arms, he held out his hand for his sweater. Data gave it to him. “And now that I’m done, it’s your turn.” Geordi smiled and headed towards Data, throwing his sweater back on. 

“Would you like me to sit down as well?” Data asked. 

“Yeah, you’re way too tall for me to try to work on. I’d get tired on my tip toes for more than a couple minutes,” Geordi chuckled. Data returned the smile and sat on the closest bench. Gathering up the items they purchased that morning, Geordi set to work on his friend. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for now that Data’s sensory inputs were back online, but messing around for a bit couldn’t hurt. Besides, he’d rather catch another malfunction here than have it pop up out there.

* * *

By the time it hit 2 o’clock, it was scorching out. There wasn’t a cloud in sight, and the sun beating down on the shuttlecraft felt like Geordi himself was on fire. A few hours back he asked if he could change into Data’s black shirt in favor of the sweater. It was starting to get annoying trying to push the sleeves back up every five minutes.

It was slow going, and a frustrating process. For starters, neither of them had any idea what they were looking for. When Geordi first started poking around, he couldn’t find anything. Later, when he thought he found something, one of the blue sparks jumped, and Geordi lost whatever it was he found. It was like, whatever goofed up disappeared without a trace. And neither of them know if it's going to come back or not.

After hour four, Geordi threw up his hands with a frustrated growl. He got up and stormed out of the shuttlecraft, just for a bit of fresh air. _ A bit of fresh air and to make sure I don’t break something _ , he thought darkly. Failure wasn’t an odd occurrence for him, but he wished he could at least figure out what caused the first Data Blackout. Sighing, Geordi shut the door quieter than the way he stormed out, and walked towards one of the trees behind the shuttle. It was something akin to a willow-the-wisp back on Earth, but instead of earthy greens and browns, the colors were warmer and more vibrant. As he got closer, Geordi could pick out five different shades of red as it trailed the ground. He lifted his hands over his head and relished the relatively shaded area. He wouldn’t’ve been surprised to learn this planet had more than one sun… (Even the hottest days at the academy in California weren’t this bad.)

Geordi used the small shaded space to pace lightly, trying to get the irritation out of his chest. It just… it didn’t make sense. How could there be a system failure when there’s nothing wrong? How long would it be until another one happens? Could it be worse the next time? What if it shuts down his motor capabilities? His speech? His positronic net? Taking his VISOR off and shutting his eyes, Geordi stopped pacing and blew out a breath. Nothing was working. But that’s okay.  _ Just take a short break. You just need a break.  _ Rubbing his eyes, his thoughts strayed.

_ Data’s hands were soft… _

Nope. That was off the table.

_ But they were soft and cool, and sliding up your sides- _

Geordi shivered and resumed his pacing (not too much; he didn’t want to trip and break more ribs.) That was something he wasn’t going to think about. He wouldn’t think about it on the Enterprise, he wouldn’t think about it here. It wasn’t fair to Data…

_ Broken ribs don’t heal that fast… he might have to check up again- _

“Okay! That’s it, I’m good!” Geordi exclaimed, smacking his cheeks a little. “Isolinear rods, trans-warp speeds, warp coils warp coils warp coils-”

“Geordi?”

“Data!” Geordi whirled around, feeling Data’s presence rather than seeing. Clearing his throat, Geordi put his VISOR back on, and the android’s golden aura sprang into view. “What uh, what are you doing?”

“I was going to ask the same of you,” Data’s brows scrunched up. “Are you okay?”

“Yes! Yeah, yeah, I’m totally. I’m. Don’t worry, man, I’m cool.” Geordi cleared his throat again and turned away. “Yeah, I’m just frustrated. I guess.” He heard Data make a little “ah” of understanding, and moved to stand next to his friend. 

“I understand. I cannot experience frustration, but I do understand the sentiment. I am also worried.” Data’s eyes wandered to his surroundings, and Geordi felt a pang in his chest. He honestly couldn’t fathom how Data must feel right now; an unknown floating around his brain, able to shut off anything at any moment? Terrifying. Deadly. An interference with a being’s core goal of self preservation. An activation of the fight or flight. In a way, Geordi guessed, Data must be feeling fear.

_ If he could feel fear in his own way he could feel love. _

_ For the love of god, stop talking. _

“We’ll figure it out, Data,” Geordi said, resting a hand on his arm. “We always do.”

“Yes,” Data nodded. “Until the one time we do not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing this was like pulling teeth i s2g   
> this last chapter was a little shorter than the other ones, but i was tired of staring at a blank word document all day, so i shortened it just to get it here, f (hopefully the rest of the story has longer chapters)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me throwing 3170 words worth of dialogue at u* im sorry...... (I only say that bc this came out with more conversation than i wanted, but i think it fits so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯)  
> im merely being pulled behind this story like marty mcfly getting chased by biff

Their work on fixing the shuttle was as slow going as trying to fix Data’s brain. The outside hull was nearly scorched beyond recognition, and the engines refused to turn on. There were minor cracks and fissures along every aspect of the craft, rendering it completely useless in the vacuum of space. But it wasn’t damaged beyond repair. Calculating the odds, Data guessed they had a forty-three percent chance of getting back to the Enterprise alive. 

He decided he wouldn’t express those odds at the moment.

Looking over the outside of the hull, Data took note of all the damaged places, what they would need to fix it, and any parts they needed to replace, while Geordi did the same on the inside. It didn’t take long for Data to check and double check, but the other took significantly longer, most likely on account of his injured chest. Data indexed the last of the damage and headed inside.

The shuttle was brighter than before, with a few of its lights now operational. Data found  Geordi near the back on his hands and knees, most of his torso disappearing in a crawlspace. He might’ve been looking for the environmental controls (he noticed Geordi found it almost unbearably hot), or maybe he was trying to fix the replicators. Either way, he’d been working on it for hours now.

“Geordi,” Data began. “Are you hungry?”

“Hm,” Geordi hummed, his voice a little muffled. “I think I should be, but I’m starting to get some headway on this thermostat and I don’t want to stop right now.” Data got down to Geordi’s level and peeked inside. It was completely dark, and very small, to the point where Geordi had to scrunch his shoulders together to fit.

“I am sure you would feel better if you ate.”

“Who says I’m feeling bad?”

“I am.”

“Yes, I know that,” Geordi sighed and turned his head to look at Data. “But where did you get the idea that I’m not feeling good?”

“I assumed your broken ribs and headache do not feel good.”

“No, not particularly.”

“So I suggest you eat.”

“To make me feel better.”

“Exactly.” Geordi sighed again and dropped his head between his arms. “You also have not eaten since before we left the Enterprise.” Pursing his lips, Geordi said,

“Alright, good point.” He shuffled backwards until he was out of the crawlspace, wiping his hand across his forehead. He and Data stood and headed over to their pile of groceries. Sifting through them, Geordi took out what looked to be an apple, a bottle of water, and…

“Geordi, what is that?”

“This?” Geordi looked at what Data was pointing at and chuckled. “It’s a power bar, good for a quick easy meal.” He raised his eyebrows at the other’s expression (though Data hadn’t realized he was even producing an ‘expression’) and pressed on. “I couldn’t take too much from that sweet old lady, so I’m trying to ration what we have. A bar is all I really need.” Geordi smiled in a way Data would categorize as ‘please understand I’m trying to reassure you’ and said “really.” After a moment, Data nodded, and he and Geordi headed over to one of the benches. It was small, and only wide enough for the two of them, their knees comfortably bumping against each other.

It was odd, Data thought, being this close to someone, physically. Yes, he and Geordi may stand close together if they’re working, or sit next to each other in the briefing room, but there was never any room to sit as close as this. Not that Data would complain. He enjoyed Geordi’s company, and the fact that he was never afraid to be near Data. 

And that was it. Geordi did not fear Data. Before the Enterprise, (before Geordi) Data had lived his life as a machine, capable of many great things, but still, a computer. In the Academy, his classmates kept their distance, opting to stare from afar. On starships, his crewmates worked in silence and relative aloofness. And, Data supposed, it might have been his fault. He may have tried to integrate, connect, but he was just too… different. He understood the human fear of difference. It took them decades to come to terms with different looking humanoids, even longer from non-humanoid aliens. Data didn’t understand the nuances of human connection. He didn't know when to stop talking, or what the correct things to say in the many different situations that presented themselves. He was off-putting.

But Geordi… 

Geordi had first found Data in ten-forward, at 22:00, staring out of the largest window on the Enterprise. The first thing Data noticed was that Geordi stood exactly zero point three zero four eight meters away from him. The second thing was that Geordi was smiling.

Geordi had asked him what he was doing.

Data replied that he found that humans enjoyed staring out of windows to look at the stars.

Geordi asked if he enjoyed it.

Data said that he was an android. He cannot enjoy things.

_ Then why imitate? _

_ I want to understand the fascination. _

_ You want to want. _

_ Yes.  _

Geordi had stayed and talked with Data for two hours and twenty eight minutes after that. 

* * *

The knock on the shuttle was unexpected. And startling, Data inferred, seeing Geordi jolt awake, sitting up faster than he probably should (or could) have. He physically winced as Data helped him up with a hand on his arm. They stood, not daring to move, and Data felt Geordi hold his breath, until a moment later there was another knock, this one louder. Extracting himself from Geordi’s hands, Data walked to the door of the shuttlecraft and, cautiously, opened it. 

It was pitch black inside as well as outside.

Until a flashlight reared its head straight into Data’s eyes.

“Excuse me!” Blinking rapidly, Data ducked out of the beam’s light. “Oh!” The person holding said flashlight exclaimed. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know anyone would be there!” Startled, Data turned back towards Geordi, and he noticed the other hadn’t put his VISOR on yet. Knowing Geordi couldn’t see his expression, Data faced the stranger again. 

“What… are you doing?” he asked. The stranger, a man about two inches taller than Data with straw blonde hair, blinked and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. 

“Well, sometime early this morning, me and my buddy heard a real loud noise somewhere around here. He and I reckoned one of us check it out when we got the time, and seein’ as I got the time now…” he trailer off with a wide grin. His eyes flickered between Data and Geordi. “Didn’t really expect anyone to be inside this thing.” There was a pause, and Data felt Geordi shift behind him. 

“We, um… well I guess you could say we, uh-”

“We crashed here, by accident,” Data cut in. The man blinked once.

“Are you sayin’, this is a… plane?”

“Yes.”

“Are you…”  _ please say it  _ “some sort of… inventors?”  _ yes _

“My partner behind me is my pilot. I am trying to improve air travel.” Data heard Geordi cough, and he turned to see the other frantically searching for his VISOR. Data spotted it on the bench to his right, and handed it over to Geordi, helping him right it before putting it on. Once on, Geordi cleared his throat and stepped towards the stranger. Data heard him whisper _'q_ _uick thinking.'_

“Yes! Well, our, uh, that is to say I, um…” Geordi cast around looking for a lie. “I hit a bird.” The stranger let our a breath and chuckled.

“Damn birds really are somethin’, huh? You’d think they’d be smart enough to get out of the way of a ten ton metal thing in the sky,” he laughed. There was another pause as the man took another look around the shuttle. “You guys aren’t, uh, stayin’ here for the night are you?” 

“We’re pretty far from home,” Geordi answered. It took a moment for the stranger to fully digest the words, and when he did, his brows raised up, almost touching his hairline.

“Aw, I can’t have a couple of travellers sleep in a place like this when I got myself an extra room not twenty minutes away,” he said, clicking off his flashlight. Without another word, he exited the shuttle, clearly expecting the other two to follow. With a quick glance towards Geordi, Data tentatively began walking, the other not far behind.

“Sir,” Data started. “Sir, it is okay, we do not need-”

“Nonsense! I tried to go camping once, you see, a few years ago, and I gotta say, it wasn’ the most comfortable experience, no sir. I can’ imagine what trying to sleep in a big metal plane feels like.” The man threw a look over his shoulders. “And besides, like I said, I got an extra room for the two of you. You don’t ev’n have to stay for too long, I won’ be offended if I hear ya packing up in the mornin’.” Turning towards Geordi, Data murmured,

“I do not know if we should accompany this man.” Geordi pursed his lips.

“You know, I don’t see why not,” he answered. “He doesn’t seem like a threat, and he’s right, sleeping on the floor of the shuttle is doing nothing for my ribs.” Data glanced down at Geordi’s chest. He wasn’t showing it on his face, but his hand was back at his side, and his breathing seemed to be laboured as well. Setting his face, Data nodded. He and Geordi kept their pace enough to be just out of earshot of the stranger, but close enough to keep up in the dark. “Well,” Geordi quietly sighed. “I guess we follow for the next twenty minutes.”

“It seems that way.”

* * *

Exactly twenty-three minutes and forty-eight seconds later, Data, Geordi, and the stranger (who introduced himself as Fyn) were walking up a beaten old path to a quaint little two story house. A single gold bulb illuminated the porch, casting a warm light over everything. The steps creaked as they ascended, and the door could have used a few drops of oil. Faintly, Data heard the clucking of chickens somewhere behind the house.

The inside was almost identical to the outside. The wood was unfurnished but soft, and the lighting was probably less than ideal for normal human eyes. (But these weren’t humans, maybe the light level is optimal for them.) The furniture was mismatched and scattered. The room they had stepped into seemed to be the living room, with a couch and what looked to be a clunky T.V. The whole room was littered with knicknacks.

“I hope it doesn’ seem too messy in here, boys, I wasn’ expecting company,” Fyn said, gathering some items up and placing them back down after a moment. Geordi waved his hand.

“Don’t worry about it, sir, a home is supposed to be messy,” he said. That struck Data as odd. If he were to describe Geordi, messy was not the word he would have used. His quarters, the few times he’d been, was as pristine as the day he moved in. Not even his bed was out of place.  _ Maybe that is just what Geordi wants to show. _ Starfleet is particular about tidiness…

“Hey Markos!” Fyn called out, shaking Data from his thoughts.  _ Now is not the time to think about Geordi’s homely habits _ . “Come check this out!” The sound of steps from a room on the right came closer, and a moment later another man (this one a few inches shorter than Data) burst out of the room, a bowl (an assortment of colors in the bowl, mostly green and orange, a salad?) in his hand. His gaze was focused on Fyn waiting for more information, before his eyes slid to Data and Geordi behind him. Eyes widening, he almost dropped the bowl.

When he and Data locked eyes, a few very strange things happened very quickly. First, Data felt another spark, this time just behind his left cheek. Secondly, he felt his stomach drop from under him, an odd sensation that he hoped to never experience again. Data inhaled sharply and without realizing it, he seeked out Geordi’s hand with his. It was a moment before he noticed Geordi squeezing his hand.

“Fyn,” the man, Markos, began. “A call ahead of time woulda’ been nice,” he said with a frown. Stepping into the living room and putting the bowl down on a nearby table, Markos extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet the two of you,” he introduced. “Markos Ing’arm.”

“Geordi La Forge,” Geordi extracted his hand from Data and took Markos’. “And this is… my partner, Data… Soong.” Data nodded and extended his hand as well. When Markos and he made contact, another, smaller shock travelled up his arm, and it took all of Data’s strength not to snap his arm away.  _ How… odd…  _

“Well,” Markos said slowly, eyeing Data cautiously. To try to compensate, Data put on what he hoped would be a sincere smile. “If either of you are hungry, I just finished making some  _ soltta _ …” he trailed off.

“Oh,” Geordi glanced between the three of them. “Oh, no it’s ok, we um, we already ate. But thank you!” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “We actually were wondering if we could just find a place to sleep. We’re kind of exhausted, you know, from crashing, and I could go for some shut eye, how about you, buddy?” Geordi turned to Data and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Oh,” he said. “Yes, I would like some ‘shut eye’.” He nodded and faked a yawn behind his hand. He felt Geordi snicker quietly beside him. 

“Oh, don’t look too diss’pointed, Markos,” Fyn laughed. “You can make ‘em breakfast tomorrow. Now,” he clapped his hands and started walking towards a room on the left. “This is jus’a storage room, but the stairs right back there lead to the second floor. We only got one room open, I hope y’don’ mind.”

“I’m sure it’ll be perfect, thank you,” Geordi smiled. “Seriously, thank you.”

“No need, a warm bed and some good food can do wonders for a person. Now, when you start invention’ stuff again, make sure you mention me n’ my buddy, alright?”

“We’ll make sure your names are on the front page.” The front page of what, Data didn’t know. With final ‘goodnight’s’, he and Geordi headed for their room.

* * *

It was fairly spacious for a guest bedroom. About the size of an Enterprise quarters and a half, it held two dusty wooden drawers, several mirrors, bookshelves, and a few squishy looking armchairs

And one bed.

It was definitely big enough for the two of them. It actually looked big enough to hold two and three quarters of himself. But Data didn’t know Geordi’s comfort, and as far as he knew, the engineer spends his nights alone. 

Geordi shuffled around inspecting the decor, eyebrows raised, a look of amusement adorning his features. He ran his hands across one of the dressers, and peered into a mirror set on top.

“This place is really pretty,” he hummed. Data rested his gaze in Geordi’s reflection.

“I would not know. Though, with the quality of the wood, and the spacious size of these quarters, I do believe this room to be something desired,” he answered, cocking his head as he talked. Geordi smiled and turned to face him.

“You do have such a weird way of saying you agree,” he said. Data blinked.

“I was merely stating an observation I have heard many humans express.” Geordi just hummed in response and turned to the side, stretching. He winced when he raised his arms too high and sighed. 

“I guess we should get some sleep,” he said, yawning. “I only got a few minutes in before Fyn came along.” He started towards the bed.

“Geordi,” Data began. “I do not need to sleep, so if you would like to take the bed, I can sit on one of the armchairs for the night.” Geordi turned and shook his head, eyebrows scrunched together, though Data noticed Geordi wouldn’t look directly at him.

“I don’t think you need to do that, Data, I don’t mind sharing a bed with you. Besides,” Geordi rubbed his arms and shivered. “Since the suns went down, it’s gotten pretty cold here. I’m gonna need the extra body heat.” Hesitating, Data waited until Geordi had settled in, not wanting to intrude. Geordi was a very polite person, and that would occasionally intrude on his comfort. When Geordi removed his VISOR, Data decided that he must be sincere.

The bed was soft and squishy, and the comforter much fluffier than what the Enterprise supplied. Geordi was on his back, hands folded over his stomach. Data did the same. Silence washed over the two, and again Data could hear chickens, closer this time. The ceiling fan above them clicked every other turn, and the house was old enough to creak. It was still quieter than the Enterprise. Data was incapable of truly ‘missing’ things, but the ship’s hum… he had gotten used to the hum. 

“They're still searching.” Data felt Geordi shift beside him, and looked over to see the other was facing him. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours-”

“Twenty-three hours and eight minutes.”

“Thank you, yes. The Enterprise is still searching.”

“I would assume so, Geordi, yes.” Data matched Geordi and shifted to lay on his side, facing his friend. His face had a slightly pinched quality to it, and he was biting his cheek.  _ He is worried. _ Data cast around trying to find something to cheer him up. “Captain Picard is a very diligent man. I am sure he is doing everything he can to find a solution.” There was no change in Geordi’s expression.  _ That did not work. _ “If we can manage to send out a signal, there is a chance the Enterprise can pick it up.” Geordi stopped biting his cheek. He opened his mouth to speak, but already seemed lost in thought. _ Did… that work? _

“Data, you’re right,” Geordi murmured. “Why didn’t we think of that before?” He opened his mouth again, but this time a yawn interrupted him. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed, settling deeper into the mattress, mumbling  _ goodnight _ . Hesitantly, Data reached out and placed his hand on Geordi’s arm. His eyes fluttered open, and even in the dark Data could see him swallow. Without a word, Data slid closer to his friend, until they were just a few (two point three) inches apart. Geordi drew a shaky breath before wrapping his arms around Data’s middle, his head buried in his neck. He could tell Geordi was shaking with the effort not to cry, and something… pinched… from inside Data’s chest that spread to his arms, down to his fingertips. Closing his eyes, he rested his chin in Geordi’s curls, hoping the other found sleep quick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok ok i know i said this was gonna be heavy ploty but i forgot that i did, in fact, need to get them to the house before any real plot happens so.... i apologize... but that means next chapter!! will be some plot and hopefully i'll finally figure out what happens!!  
> also! thank you to everyone who's commented!! i read them and i love them and they are honestly why this chapter is out today and not sometime in the distant near future TnT (can you believe over 1500 words in one day.... i'll never do it again)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter!! this time only 12 days since the last one, i think im getting better at this hshdfghs  
> here comes some plot?? some little sliver of plot?? i dont know whats wrong with me but any time i say the next chapter will have Big Plot Plans i Never End Up Writing It Correctly, so i hope reads ok!!  
> (also once again ive barely beta'd this chapt. so if theres any mistakes.... dont @ me.....)

When Geordi woke, it was quiet out, his face squished comfortably against Data’s chest, and he felt warm and  _ safe. _

And then the events of the previous day wormed their way into his thoughts, and that safety crashed around him. He swallowed thickly and tried to wriggle out of Data’s grasp, but it proved to be futile: Data was by all accounts an android, and android strength was, in Geordi’s opinion, much harder to worm out of. So he did what any man would do in the grip of a superhuman. He went back to sleep.

* * *

The next time he woke up, Data had shifted just enough to let Geordi turn to the other side of the bed and pick up his VISOR. When he put it on and turned back, Data’s golden aura sprang into view, however it seemed to be a bit… duller than usual.  _ Maybe that’s just what he looks like when he’s sleeping _ , he thought. He’d never had the pleasure of watching the android sleep before, and he was surprised to see that Data looked just as peaceful asleep as any human did. It was charming. His face was completely smooth, and his mouth had opened just slightly sometime during the night. There were no worry lines, no sign of distress… Geordi smiled. He could get used to this view…

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t, it wasn’t fair, to him or to Data. Data was his  _ friend _ , and thinking about him like that… Geordi could ruin everything they worked for, and he wouldn’t- he couldn’t- allow that. He closed his eyes and shifted back an inch, with the intention of rolling to his other side, when he felt Data’s hands move down his side slightly, resting on his hip. He took a breath and drifted closer until his nose barely brushed against Geordi’s. Geordi held his breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't move now, not without waking Data.  _ And they were so close now. _ Literally just a breath away. All he had to do was lean in, closer,  _ just a centimeter _ , to feel what it was like to kiss Data…

And then his eyes opened.

_ That’s for the best. _

Data’s eyes opened almost lazilly, and he blinked a few times before he actually seemed fully awake. He seemed frozen there for a moment before leaning away from Geordi’s face. He looked down at where he was holding his friend, and after another moment, he lifted his arm and retracted.

“My apologies,” he said. “I had not realized I moved so close to you during the night.”

“Don’t worry,” Geordi replied, and he cursed the way he sounded so breathless. He wouldn’t’ve been surprised if the other could hear his heart hammering. “I didn’t mind. Kept me warm.” Data nodded and moved to sit up, Geordi mirroring. Data looked like he wanted to say something, but before he could, there was a soft knock at the door. Lifting a shoulder in a half shrug, Geordi got out of bed and answered.

“Ah, I hope I didn’ wake you,” Fyn said when Geordi opened the door, a smile on his face.

“No, we were already up. Is everything ok?”

“Oh, ev’thing’s fine, though, I think th’ two of you should come downstairs. There’s someone here who wants t’ talk t’ you.” Excitement and relief flooded through Geordi.  _ The Enterprise… _ Glancing back at Data, Geordi saw the same thing running through his friend’s mind. 

“Please,” Geordi said. “Lead the way.” His heart hammered as he and Data followed Fyn down the stairs and through the living room. He could feel his hands start to shake, and he allowed himself the barest of hope.  _ This could be it, we could be going home today… _

Fyn opened the door and stepped aside, and what greeted the anxious two was… not Captain Picard. Trying to stifle the immense disappointment sliding its way down his stomach, Geordi cleared his throat.

“How can we help you?” He asked.

The man in question was… kind of odd looking. He was wearing a three piece suit fit for a Sunday night dinner, a bowler hat, and what looked to be a large stack of papers in both of his hands. But the oddest part was his eyes. They were sort of a blue color,  _ (they looked like Data’s sparks) _ but they shimmered, like someone infused them with glitter or… a light source. Geordi noticed Data tense up as soon as the door had opened.

“Hello, my name is Ghe’eal Pent, and I’m a representative of the ‘Waste Pickup’ in this fifty mile area,” the man said, a big smile on his face. Geordi blinked and looked at Data. When he didn’t get a response, he focused back on the man, Mr. Pent.

“Um, that’s great but. What does that have to do with us?” Geordi asked, scratching the back of his head.

“Oh, I’m glad you asked! May I come in?” Fyn nodded, and the four of them stepped further into the living room. Fyn said his welcomes to Pent, and headed back to the kitchen, Geordi presumed. “It’s come to my attention that the two of you,” Pent said, moving a finger between Geordi and Data, “left a large amount of scrap junk in the middle of Roshak Field last night.” At his words, Geordi’s heart sank.  _ The shuttle. _ “I am afraid, since the two of you left it for more than eight hours, we must gather it all up, and send it to the junkyard at City Central.”

“W-wait-wait,” Geordi stuttered, a hand held out in front of him. “We didn’t- I mean it wasn’t- we-” He looked at Data helplessly. “You can’t really do that can you?”

“You must be incredibly new here,” Pent said. He shook his head. “Ever since we almost all got killed by garbage in the early seventh cycle, our government in this sector set up ‘Waste Pickup’ to make sure that never happens again.”

“Would we be able to, I don’t know, pick it up ourselves?” Geordi asked.

“I’m afraid not. Once the eight hours is up, it is legally the government’s property now. No amount of money could let you buy it back.” Damn…  _ we wouldn’t have been able to get it anyway… buy it back… that’s  _ our  _ property- _

“That does not seem fair, Mr. Pent.” Geordi raised his eyebrows at Data’s remark. No it certainly wasn’t.

“Ah, but I’m not a rep for fairness, my good pale friend. Now,” Pent shifted the stack of papers and handed them out to Geordi. “These are just a few forms you have to sign so we don’t fine you.” Geordi accepted the papers. Pent gave the two a slight bow, and headed for the door. “I hope you fill those out in time, and I wish you the best of days.” He tipped his bowler as he opened the door, and just like that he was gone, leaving Data Geordi to stand in the middle of the living room, dumbfounded. 

“I can’t believe it,” he said to Data, shaking his head. “What are we gonna do?”

“I…” Data started. “I do not know Geordi. But…” he hesitated. “I do not know why, but when I looked at Mr. Pent I… I believe I felt uneasy.” Data cocked his head and scrunched his eyebrows. 

“Uneasy? Data what do you mean?”

“I am not sure. I just know that, when Fyn had opened the door, I felt… like I wanted to leave the room.”

“That… does sound uneasy…” Geordi bit his lip. “Data, I’d like to have a look at your positronics again. Maybe Fyn and Markos might have something we can use.” He looked down at the papers in his hand and sighed, tossing them to the coffee table to his right. “We have to figure this mess out first, though.” He sank to the couch beneath him, head in his hands. Data sat down next to him, picking the papers up and thumbing through them. 

“It is very clear that we ‘cannot under any circumstances retrieve our property’, and by law we have ‘forfeited any and all materials to the government’,” he read, voice flat. He looked over at Geordi. “One of us has to sign.”

“Sign what, Data? We technically don’t exist on this planet,” Geordi said, rubbing his hands across his cheeks. Data hummed and went back to looking through the papers. “And besides, once they figure out what the shuttle is, they’re gonna be looking for us anyway.” Data nodded.

“Our shuttle has technology this planet does not possess yet.”

“Exactly.”

“So,” Data started. “What do we do?”

“I guess, there’s only one thing we  _ can _ do, if we don’t want to break the Prime Directive,” Geordi lifted his head and stared at his friend. “We get our shuttle back.”

* * *

Nearly a second later, Fyn popped his head out of the kitchen, yelling “Breakfast!” At that, Geordi felt his stomach growl, and for the first time in nearly thirty hours, he really felt how hungry he was. Trying to keep the eager smile off his face, he rose from the couch and headed to the kitchen, Data not far behind.

The kitchen itself was somewhat small, but boy was it cozy. There was enough room for it to have a gas powered stove with a fridge and microwave. The windows that lined the opposite wall were all open, and a breeze drifted through, dazzling the whole room with sunlight. The smell of pancakes and bacon filled the room, and Geordi’s stomach growled again, this time loud enough to catch Fyn’s attention.

“Well, if I’d known you were that hungry, I woulda started breakfast earlier,” he chuckled, and Geordi gave a sheepish smile.

“No, really, it’s ok. I’m just thankful you cooked in the first place.” He started smiling for real. “Your hospitality means a lot.” Fyn smiled and handed the two plates, and they began dishing up. Geordi stacked a few too many pancakes, and maybe enough bacon to put even Riker to sleep, but he didn’t care. It was a home cooked meal and he was starving. 

There was a small hallway on the other side of the kitchen entrance that, when Geordi followed Fyn through, he found it led to an equally small dining room. It didn’t have as many windows as the kitchen did, but the one that was there was quite big, and was open as well. Geordi closed his eyes and breathed in. Everything here reminded him of his home back on Earth, and he’d be lying if he didn’t say he was just a little homesick.

The three of them sat down at the table and started their meal. After a few minutes, Geordi heard thundering footsteps from the floor above them, moving to the stairs and the spare room. A few seconds later, Markos burst into the room, a plate in one hand and a glass of what looked to be pink orange juice in the other.

“I’m sorry Fyn, I got a little caught up,” he said, trying to hide his panting. 

“I keep tellin’ ya, Marks. If you don’ let yourself rest e’ry once and a while you’ll start t’ go crazy,” Fyn said between a mouthful of bacon. 

“Yeah, I know,” Markos sighed, taking his seat between Fyn and Data. As soon as he did so, Geordi could see Data physically tense, just as he did with Mr. Pent. Confused, Geordi touched Data’s elbow lightly, and to his surprise, Data flinched. His eyes were wide as he and Geordi stared at each other, one puzzled and one… Geordi could only categorize it as anxious. Data was anxious.

That didn’t sound right.

But almost as soon as he showed this new emotion, Data quickly hid it. It was almost like Geordi could see the wall Data just built, clumsy and poorly assembled. But a wall it was. 

“So,” Markos started. “Was that a waste management guy at the door?”

“Oh, yeah,” Fyn said. He gestured to Geordi and Data. “He came for that plane those two crashed in.” Markos raised his eyebrows and chewed quickly so he could talk again.

“They took your plane?” Geordi nodded, and Markos frowned. 

“I’m sorry, we didn’t realize it only took such a short amount of time for them to come.”

“It’s no worries, really. But…” Geordi trailed off, wondering how best to phrase his next question. “We… don’t really have a place to st-”

“Say no more,” Fyn announced. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.” Geordi’s chest felt light.

“Thank you,” Data said. Setting down his fork, he studied Fyn in that intense way that always captivated Geordi. “Sincerely, thank you.”

“Our home is open to anyone who needs it,” Markos said. “Just, all we ask is maybe a little help around the house? Some dishes, you know, keep everything tidy.”

“You don’t have to worry about us, we’re pretty tidy people,” Geordi replied with a grin.

* * *

After breakfast finished, Geordi excused himself and Data, and the two headed back up to their room. 

“Ok,” Geordi said once they were in the room with the door firmly shut. “Ok, ok, ok, ok.” He peered at Data, and he noticed he still seemed to look… uncomfortable? No, that wasn’t it. Apprehensive? Yeah. Data looked apprehensive. Sitting down on the bed, Geordi pursed his lips. “Hey Data?”

“Hm?”

“Do… do you want to talk about… your reactions to Pent and Markos?” Geordi asked. Data froze, and didn’t try to meet Geordi’s gaze.

“I do not know what you mean,” he said in a low voice. Geordi shifted on the bed.

“Data…” He clasped his hands and cast around trying to find the right way to go about this. Geordi wasn’t Data’s dad or guardian, he didn’t have the right to push it out of him if he didn’t want to. But on the other hand… Geordi had a feeling Data’s reactions were connected to the weird blue sparks that keep popping up out of nowhere. Geordi opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Data started.

“Geordi I’m… I do not-” he stopped mid sentence, his mouth shutting almost painfully as his head jerked to the side.

“Data what- are you okay?” Geordi asked, half rising from the bed. Data didn’t respond, but his eyes started fluttering. His jaw ticked once, and he crumpled to the floor like a sack of bricks. A shot of anxiety ran through Geordi’s stomach, and he rushed to Data’s side.

“G-G-G-G-” he tried to speak, but it looked like his motor functions were… fluctuating. Every stutter was punctuated with a slight head jerk.

“Sh, Data, don't try to talk right now,” Geordi whispered. His hands were shaking as he hovered above Data’s body, completely unsure what to do. He opted to taking hold of one of Data’s hands and squeezing tight. Fortunately for both of them, it seemed just as quickly as it started, Data went still, his eyes still closed. He didn’t stir for several minutes, and all Geordi could do was kneel there. 

Then, suddenly, Data’s eyes flew open, and it took almost everything Geordi had not to flinch away. Data’s eyes were unfocused and shockingly blue, the same color as the sparks that terrorized him since the day before. When they landed on Geordi, he could see unfiltered fear radiating from those eyes. Data blinked, and his eyes flickered, finally turning back to his normal gold.

“Data,” Geordi breathed. Data’s wide eyes grew wider, and he scrunched his eyebrows together.

“I-Geordi I-” Data said softly, a slight tremble in his voice. “I cannot hear you.” Hanging his head, Geordi cursed.  _ Here we go again. _

“Ok,” Geordi said slowly, exaggerating his lips. He didn’t really know if Data could lip-read or not. “Ok, I’m going to check your neural net real quick. Don’t try to move.” Data nodded, and Geordi blew out a breath he was holding. Carefully untangling his fingers from the other’s hand, Geordi set to work opening Data’s cranial ports. As soon as he opened the main one at the top of Data’s head, several blue sparks jumped towards Geordi, disappearing quickly. Blowing out a breath, he removed the panel on the right side of Data’s head, and another, smaller spark snapped. Geordi grit his teeth and opened the last panel at the back of Data’s head, warily turning his head to the side. One final spark puttered about almost lamely before flickering out of existence. 

“Geordi…” Data breathed. Geordi scooted around until he was face to face with his friend. “My hearing is back online but…” Data hesitated.

“But…?”

“I think I am experiencing a malfunction somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“I… I do not know. I…” Data pursed his lips and took in a shuddering breath. “It hurts.”

_ It hurts. _

“It’s ok, Data, everything’s gonna be ok,” Geordi said, and he couldn’t tell if he was trying to reassure Data or himself. “Are you able to sit up?” Data nodded, and Geordi helped him up. “Can you tell me where it hurts?” 

“I…” Data shook his head slightly. 

“Just… tell me what it feels like.”

“It feels like something is trying to crawl its way out of my stomach,” Data said. “But… it feels like it… is spreading?” He placed his hand on his stomach, and slowly dragged it up towards his chest, where his hand stopped, fingers splayed. Geordi sat there confused for a moment before it dawned on him.

“Does it feel like… does it feel hot?” he asked. Data looked away for a second or two, his eyes shifting back and forth.

“Yes,” he replied, and Geordi huffed out a breath of laughter.

“Data, I think what you’re describing is anxiety,” Geordi said, sitting back, most of the worry leaving his system.

“That does not make sense,” Data fretted, speaking quicker than normal. “I am-” he tried to take a breath, but it seemed to catch. “I am an android. I cannot experience anxiety.” 

“I don't know Data,” Geordi said, shaking his head. “Maybe you can?” The other was silent, and Geordi worried.  _ Data’s right- I didn’t think he could feel anxiety like this… not without an emotion chip anyway… _ “Here,” he said, taking hold of one of Data’s hands again. “You’re gonna try out an ancient Earth technique to combat a panic attack.” Data cocked his head. “You’re gonna breathe.” Geordi squeezed Data’s hand and talked him through one of Troi’s exercises. It took several minutes, and a few reassurances, but sure enough at the end, Data was breathing normally again. 

“That,” he began, “was very unpleasant.” 

“Yeah,” Geordi laughed. “It’s one of the more uncomfortable things about being human.” He regarded his friend for a moment, worry gnawing at his thoughts.  _ Blue sparks… there were so many of them this time… _ “Data.” Geordi waited until Data was looking at him. “I need you to tell me what happened downstairs.” He waited patiently for Data to start.

“Did you notice Mr. Pent’s eyes when he greeted us,” Data asked. When Geordi nodded he continued. “I presumed they were the same color as the electricity sparking my neural net. I… When Pent looked at me for the first time I felt… uneasy, I suppose, but as well as…” Data closed his eyes. “There was a very quick moment where I felt what I assumed was immediate terror. It was quite shocking, I must say.”

“I bet,” Geordi whispered. “Fear is a scary thing.” Data nodded. 

“I did not understand why that had happened, but I tried to brush it off. I thought it was just a side effect of my neural net being messed with.”

“And what about Markos?”

“It was the same thing, but this time I believe I felt… dread. It was cold.” Geordi nodded. That sounded right. Kind of. If they could even call the situation they were in “right”. 

“Do you think, whatever that blue spark is, it’s somehow altering your network? To give you some weird, jerky new emotions?”

“That would be the most logical conclusion.”

“But why Markos? Or Pent? I wouldn’t think they knew each other, or had any connections, do you?”

“I am not sure, but it might be pertinent to find out.”

“Hm,” Geordi hummed. “I agree.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for getting to the end!! if you want, check out my tumblr @startrecks or my art account @artttho !!   
> (also once again thank you all so much for the super nice comments!! theyre keeping me alive in these trying times)


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